The subject of youth rebellion has appeared as the plot in many YA books over the past few years. But this one series has most certainly gone beyond the same-old, same-old when it comes to the subject. Not since the extremely popular Maze Runner series has a plot been so intense.
For those who are unaware, Books I and II introduced readers to an array of characters who were beyond intelligent. They have each gone through something tragic, with a loss in their backgrounds that range from a parent to a home to their own memories. But when these friends come together they can literally overpower the evil people who are trying to control others by putting a chip into each person’s head.
The combination of government and police are using fear to make people conform. And these chips are a way to make sure people forget bad things, and insert new ‘happy’ memories of things that never happened.
This group of friends, however, were smart enough to find a way around the chip. Broadcasting a concert, they were able to embed a signal that erased the chip’s effects.
As we open on the grand finale of this series, a radio is playing that tells all listeners that summer is over, school is starting, and the evil Mayor is running for election. With a company called TFC, the Mayor and his so-called Patriot Party uses mind control tactics to hack a person’s brain. If you know the wrong thing, a black van simply pulls up, takes you to the Big D (which is a detention facility), and then gives you a pill so you can happily forget everything you shouldn’t know and go on your way.
Micah Wallenberg has just finished his community service and is headed home when he sees a very strange sight. A cardboard coffin procession is walking down the street toward the Big D. On one of the coffins is carved Jonas W. (his father’s name). Suddenly an explosion occurs and a strange thought enters Micah’s mind: 'Did his father betray his country?'
Velvet is a girl who’s sick of knocking on doors in support of the Mayor when she’s working for the other side. Add in Winter, Nora, Aiden, Spike - all of these friends who are standing together to stop the tyranny, and you have a story that is out of this world cool.
Although this is a series, Book III is stand-alone simply because the author has done a great job catching people up on all the action that’s already occurred. The one thing that will constantly be running through your head, however, is how easily a government could do something like this if they really wanted to. After all, we are in the digital age…
Quill says: Exhilarating and intense. The author weaves feel-good fiction with suspense to give readers a triumphant victory.
![The Meme Plague (Memento Nora series Book 3) by [Smibert, Angie]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/51OXGIAIYhL.jpg)
